What a southwest suburban library had promoted as an educational forum this week on Muslim life in America quickly turned into a contentious debate about Islam.

The tone for the Thursday evening event was set while the three panelists at the Orland Park Library were still introducing themselves. In the first of many interruptions, a half-dozen audience members stood up and demanded that everyone recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Library Director Mary Weimar denied their request. She explained that it wasn't standard practice to recite the pledge at library events and requested that the attendees show more respect for the panelists.